ptl@fluke.UUCP (Mike Andrews) (06/03/85)
Hi,
Last week I asked for prayers for my cousin who is a Roman Catholic
priest in the Maryknoll missionary order, because he is stationed in
Bangladesh, in the area where the tidal wave hit, and we haven't heard
from him yet. We still haven't heard from him, but we did hear from
Maryknoll. Another Maryknoll priest reported that he saw Bob take a
flight that was some 100 to 300 miles (didn't get the story straight) from
the tidal wave when it hit. So they think he is safe. Please keep him in
your prayers, and all the others working to help the poor in this world.
The recent loss of my friend Larry to cancer, the fear of having lost Bob,
the thousands of deaths in Bangladesh, the many thousands dieing in
Africa, the savage tornadoes that hit the US and Canada last Friday, all
these things have made me question the existence of a loving God. How
could a loving God allow all these things, terrible things to go on?
This has bothered me deeply for the last few weeks. I've been angry with
God, questioned His existence, let alone His love, cursed up one side and
down the other, let my prayer life slide, and reading the Bible go down
hill. What He's shown me is that I'm no better than anyone else, that
my holiness is not dependent on my personal goodness, on how hard I pray,
or how good I act, but on His Goodness that He gifts me with. Nothing else.
He's also shown me that the world is a hard, difficult, sin filled, hurting
place, filled with hurting people, and we ALL need His love, forgiveness,
and undeserved mercy. Everyone is hurting in some way(s), everyone is
handicapped in someway(s) - just can't see it with the human eye all the
time. God's wisdom goes beyond anything I could come up with. His idea of
what's best and mine often don't agree. I'm still angry with Him, but I find
I'm slowing letting go, and letting God run my life the way He knows best.
It's a real live battle, please pray for me, and yourselves.
Funny - so often I've heard `If God exists, why did he allow ... to
happen.' I asked the same question many times in the last few weeks;
I'll probably ask it a few more times before I die. I'm wondering now
how anyone could believe that satan doesn't exist with all the hurt,
pain, sin and ugliness in the world. But why give him any glory - I'd
rather look at the beauty in the world, the people who help others in their
hurt, while they themselves have hurts and pains. Praise God.
God Bless,
Mike Andrews
--
*** Ezekiel 37:1-14 *** *** Ephesians 5:8-21 ***
*** Job 3:25 and Mark 5:36 ***
{decvax,ihnp4}!uw-beaver! \
{sun,allegra}! >fluke!ptl
{ucbvax,hplabs}!lbl-csam! /seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) (06/04/85)
Why does God allow natural disasters? No, I don't have the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out. Look in Revelations. Just before the second coming there is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such, right? Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for that last few decades. Every decade the number doubles! Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948, and that the second coming is supposed to be within one generation (~40 years) of that event. hmmmmm! Snoopy tektronix!mako!seifert
purtell@reed.UUCP (Lady Godiva) (06/05/85)
In article <1297@hammer.UUCP> seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) writes: > >Why does God allow natural disasters? No, I don't have >the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out. >Look in Revelations. Just before the second coming there >is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such, >right? Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for >that last few decades. Every decade the number doubles! >Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948, >and that the second coming is supposed to be within one >generation (~40 years) of that event. > >hmmmmm! > >Snoopy >tektronix!mako!seifert I guess it just depends on whether or not you take Revelations literally... elizabeth g. purtell (Lady Godiva)
root@trwatf.UUCP (Lord Frith) (06/07/85)
In article <1297@hammer.UUCP> seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) writes: > > Why does God allow natural disasters? No, I don't have > the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out. Sorry I no got answer either. I was wondering about this a few days ago in the aftermath of several cyclones that tocuhed down in Pennsylvania. Apparently there was little or no warning before the funnels touched down, although after they had been observed some residents did have as much as 40 minutes warning. Also there have been several disasters in Bangledesh (sorry) and adjoining countries. A mighty big tidle wave and several cyclones that some say could have been detected by facilities now under construction in those countries. Hardly seems fair. > Look in Revelations. Just before the second coming there > is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such, > right? Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for > that last few decades. Every decade the number doubles! As I understand it this is because we have been observing and studying these natural phenomena so much more intently (than say hundreds or thousands of years ago). Remember also the age of written records and how many records of such disasters would survive. But why in the last 10 years? Beats me... where's your sources? > Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948, > and that the second coming is supposed to be within one > generation (~40 years) of that event. > > hmmmmm! Television preachers point to lots of other things, claiming the proliferation of nuclear weapons and various wars in various countries as proof of the end times. You have to take all of this in perspective. They thought the world had come to an end back when the plague was decimating Europe and they had good Biblical substantiation for thinking the end had come then too. I think proof of the end is somewhat more subtle. For the first time in history we have finally been able to map and settle on the entire globe as well as communicate with all of its people. I'm sure God would not bring the end about until such was true... and since man will more than likely be the instrument of his own destruction (remember that God promised Noah he wouldn't), nuclear weapons look like a good indicator as well. -- UUCP: ...{decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!seismo!trwatf!root - Lord Frith ARPA: trwatf!root@SEISMO Rambo: First Blood part III The Quest for Jane Fonda
jomibase@ihu1h.UUCP (opperman) (06/13/85)
> In article <1297@hammer.UUCP> seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) writes: > > > > Why does God allow natural disasters? No, I don't have > > the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out. > > Sorry I no got answer either. I was wondering about this a few days > ago in the aftermath of several cyclones that tocuhed down in > Pennsylvania. Apparently there was little or no warning before the > funnels touched down, although after they had been observed some > residents did have as much as 40 minutes warning. > > Also there have been several disasters in Bangledesh (sorry) and > adjoining countries. A mighty big tidle wave and several cyclones > that some say could have been detected by facilities now under > construction in those countries. Hardly seems fair. > > > Look in Revelations. Just before the second coming there > > is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such, > > right? Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for > > that last few decades. Every decade the number doubles! > > As I understand it this is because we have been observing and studying > these natural phenomena so much more intently (than say hundreds or > thousands of years ago). Remember also the age of written records and > how many records of such disasters would survive. > > But why in the last 10 years? Beats me... where's your sources? > > > Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948, > > and that the second coming is supposed to be within one > > generation (~40 years) of that event. > > > > hmmmmm! > > Television preachers point to lots of other things, claiming the > proliferation of nuclear weapons and various wars in various countries > as proof of the end times. You have to take all of this in > perspective. They thought the world had come to an end back when the > plague was decimating Europe and they had good Biblical substantiation > for thinking the end had come then too. > > I think proof of the end is somewhat more subtle. For the first time > in history we have finally been able to map and settle on the entire > globe as well as communicate with all of its people. I'm sure God > would not bring the end about until such was true... and since man will > more than likely be the instrument of his own destruction (remember > that God promised Noah he wouldn't), nuclear weapons look like a good > indicator as well. > -- > > UUCP: ...{decvax,ihnp4,allegra}!seismo!trwatf!root - Lord Frith > ARPA: trwatf!root@SEISMO > > Rambo: First Blood part III The Quest for Jane Fonda It is all and good for the curiosity of man to try and predict the 2nd coming of Christ. However, I believe it was said that it (2nd coming) would come like a thief in the night. Who can say by any evidence when that will be? -- C.J. Opperman ihu1h!jomibase IH 2D315A x5014
dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (06/14/85)
> In article <1297@hammer.UUCP> seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) writes: > > > >Why does God allow natural disasters? No, I don't have > >the answer, but there is one possibility I'd like to point out. > >Look in Revelations. Just before the second coming there > >is supposed to be a great increase in earthquakes and such, > >right? Now, look at the number of earthquakes per year for > >that last few decades. Every decade the number doubles! > >Then consider that Israel was restored as a nation in 1948, > >and that the second coming is supposed to be within one > >generation (~40 years) of that event. > > > >hmmmmm! > > > >Snoopy > >tektronix!mako!seifert > > I guess it just depends on whether or not you take Revelations > literally... > > elizabeth g. purtell > > (Lady Godiva) What is this "Revelations", anyhow? -- | Paul DuBois {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois --+-- | |